Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen came to terms with his omission prior to the 2015 Ashes by admitting that it was the right decision. But when Pietersen’s former captain Andrew Strauss was appointed as managing director, his first move was to rule out a comeback for the controversial 35-year-old.
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But, speaking on Thursday, the 35-year-old said: “He made his decision and it’s turned out absolutely fine”.
“He’s finished OK. Some of the stuff he has accomplished with the England group and with getting previous gamers again within the dressing room is sensible”, added the nation’s fifth highest check run-scorer.
During an worldwide career that spanned almost a decade, Pietersen, who says he will now concentrate on the Twenty20 version of the game, played 104 Tests, 136 One Day internationals and 37 Twenty20 Internationals, scoring a total of 13,797 runs.
“I love check cricket and I assume we owe it to the good recreation, which is check cricket, to converse positively about it. I don’t need to sit on this stage and say check cricket is lifeless”. “I can’t be with Test cricket”. “If that can’t happen then I will just keep plying my trade anywhere I can over the next few years”.
Pietersen was sacked by England last year following a number of incidents that culminated in the 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia during which he was accused of being disengaged from the team. I am buzzing England have done what they have done.”After raging in May about being denied a return to the England team, having being dropped following the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash in Australia, the maverick player has now mellowed”. I can’t go in there and change things.
“I’m dwelling my life”. “I went there with a lot of positivity and left with quite a bit of negativity”. “At the time I thought it was ridiculous, it was nonsense to leave me out. I don’t draw back to a meeting in May and think “goodness how things could been different”.
However, Pietersen felt that by increasing the salaries of Test cricketers, the administrators can offer an incentive for players to strive for excellence in the longest format.
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As well as turning out for Surrey this year, he has represented St Lucia Zouks in the Caribbean Premier League and recently signed for the Dolphins in the South African Twenty20. I think he has done OK.
